Electrical assemblies, such as insulators and surge arresters, are typically enclosed within a weathershed housing for insulating and protecting the internal electrical components or core members from the outside environment. Insulators are extensively used to support the electrical conductors of electric power lines. Surge arresters, on the other hand, are commonly connected across electrical equipment to shunt over-voltage surges, such as lightning strikes. Two problems common to both insulators and arresters are reducing electrical stresses at the end fittings, and preventing water ingress at the interface between the end fittings and the ends of the weathershed housings.
While many attempts have been made to overcome these problems, numerous disadvantages are present in these prior electrical assemblies. For example, many of the prior electrical assemblies have end fittings with an integral end collar which is crimped about the end portion of the weathershed housing. These end fittings with integral end collars are typically difficult and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, these type of end fittings often do not provide an effective seal.
Examples of these prior electrical assemblies are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,464,908 to Volkman; 2,593,955 to Ackermann; 2,728,810 to Ziehr; 3,290,428 to Yonkers; 3,662,082 to Heppner; 3,898,372 to Kalb; 4,198,538 to Lusk; 4,212,696 to Lusk et al; 4,303,799 to Ishihara; 4,343,966 to Pargamin; 4,427,843 to Ishihara et al; 4,435,615 to Kaczerginski et al; and 4,604,498 to Kuhl.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need to provide electrical assemblies with end collars for reducing electrical stresses at the ends of the electrical assembly, and for coupling and sealing the end fittings and the ends of the weathershed housing together in a weathertight manner. This invention addresses these needs in the art along with other needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.